Page 140 of Captive Souls

Knox

“I thought I said I’d kill you if I ever saw you again,” I told the man who had joined me on the rooftop of Piper’s apartment building.

It wasn’t unusual for me to go up there without her. I regularly left her sleeping in the apartment I’d outfitted with top-of-the-line security. There were still weak spots, though. Neighbors. Shared elevator. Fire escape.

That was the only downside of living in her home—the lack of privacy and control over the environment. My penthouse encompassed an entire floor, meaning no one could access it unless they had access to the private elevator that was monitored at all times.

Giving it up was a concession, a big fucking concession, I’d made because Piper loved her home. I enjoyed being in her space immensely. Every corner of it was filled with her.

Though I felt as if I cast a shadow over those corners, unable to understand just how I’d fit into her life.

That was the reason I hadn’t killed Lukyan on sight and had agreed to the meeting when he’d reached out through untraceable means.

A chuckle sounded through the night. I was surprised to hear it come from him. “Unfortunately, just like me, Knox, love has made you … less trigger happy.”

I lifted the gun I was holding in his direction, hating that he understood my weakness. I should’ve killed him for that alone. “Sure about that?”

He stepped forward to join me, unfazed by the gun I was pointing at him, finger on the trigger. “I’m sure, since I promised you what I’d do if you pointed a gun at me again.”

Threat was clear in his tone, one that would have most grown men shitting themselves, knowing their time in this world was approaching its end.

Lukyan wouldn’t have come here to kill me, though. Not by coming announced anyway.

“What is this about?” I was not one for small talk.

“I am aware that you are not interested in keeping ties with the new leadership at Rosso.” The restaurant was the hub of the mob, the central heart. Whoever controlled Rosso controlled the organization.

I stared out into the city. “Considering they are a grudge holding lot who would kill me on sight if they knew about my involvement in Stone’s demise, and worse, Piper, no.” My throat constricted at the very thought. We had been extremely thorough in ensuring that everyone who knew about Piper’sconnection to Stone was in the ground, but I couldn’t let myself lapse into a false sense of security.

Especially since I had the bad sense to keep Joey breathing. He was, apparently, out of the game and in love with Daisy, but that didn’t stop me from lying awake at night, thinking of him as the weak link who one day, when Daisy inevitably cast him aside, would be mad enough to want revenge. There were numerous times I’d gotten close to ignoring Piper’s wishes and my promise to her about sparing Joey’s life for her sister’s happiness. A broken promise was nothing compared to Piper’s life. But I’d stopped every time. Because it would hurt Piper. Wound her. That betrayal. And I couldn’t gather enough strength to do that.

“So you’re in need of a job,” Lukyan’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I ground my teeth together. “I have enough money to fund a hundred lifetimes.” Which was true. Stone had paid me well, and I’d amassed plenty of funds before my tenure with him. I‘d learned how to play the stock market. Money was security. I could buy anything I wanted. Except I didn’t want a fucking thing beyond my woman, safe and warm and happy.

Lukyan smiled at me, white teeth shining in the moonlight. “I’m not talking about money. You’re not going to retire and take up chess in the park. You can’t. I speak from experience.”

I’d thought about this, realizing that no matter how fundamentally Piper had changed me, she couldn’t erase the past or change my nature. I’d always thirst for death, something to keep the beasts at bay.

“I won’t answer to anyone,” I snarled, comprehending what he was hinting at. He was offering me a fucking job. As if I’d bow down to him.

“I’m not asking you to,” he replied, his tone telling me he was still amused. “I’m looking for a partner.”

This surprised me. Lukyan and I had never enjoyed a cordial relationship. Actually, I’d been halfway certain he would kill me one day. He was the only one even remotely capable of that. Yet there he was, offering to be fucking partners.

“I’m a married man now, to an extraordinary woman who can hold her own in our world.” His normally lifeless tone gained a richness that I didn’t miss when talking about his wife. “I am unable to change myself for her, but I’ve found I’d like to … adjust my business. I’d like to send those to the grave who deserve it but go untouched in our world.”

My surprise was bone deep, but I didn’t show it. “You want to police the underworld?” I bit back a laugh, only because he was deadly fucking serious. That and I didn’t laugh.

“Police?” He shook his head. “No judges, no jury. Just executioners.”

“And we’ll make this a business how?” I asked, unable to not be intrigued.

He smiled, knowing he’d caught me. He’d fucking caught me. “Killing is always a business. We’ll meet about the details at a later date.” He buttoned his suit. “But you’re agreeable. This partnership means we make a gentleman’s agreement not to kill each other.”

“We’re not gentlemen,” I reminded him.

“That we’re not.”